On Tuesday, officials from the State Monitoring Cell (SMC) of Gujarat Police arrested two men near the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) with 55 grams of mephedrone (MD) worth Rs 5.50 lakh. The police action followed a tip-off about the two individuals carrying the drug towards IIM-A in a CNG rickshaw.
Police sub-inspector K D Ravia and his team intensified surveillance around Shivranjani Crossroads after receiving the information. They set up a trap with the help of two government witnesses and monitored traffic along the route.
At around 4:30 pm, the police located and intercepted a rickshaw near Matangi Apartments Lane, adjacent to the BRTS station on 132 feet Ring Road. The two passengers were identified as Shahnawaz Pathan (28) and Matin Sheikh (30), both residents of Dariapur. Upon inspection, Shahnawaz was found carrying two pouches containing a white powder suspected to be mephedrone, while Matin had seven pouches of the same substance.
After questioning, the duo admitted that the powder was indeed mephedrone. They were subsequently taken to Vastrapur police station where a case was registered against them under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act. The two men also named Badshah Khan and Ajmal Khan, residents of Dariapur, as their accomplices, who are currently absconding.
The SMC is now investigating whether the drug network was active around the IIM-A area and if the suppliers were targeting students. The police are also probing the extent of the operation and if more individuals are involved.
